Zero waste laundry detergents are difficult to find, because to clean clothes, you obviously need some kind of ingredients to remove grease and oil. So most brands on the market use ingredients that harm aquatic life, once the suds wash from the machine or sink, and go into the sea.
An added complication is that many clothes, nappies, washable sanitary pads and microfiber cloths are made from polyester, and most people also own synthetic fibre clothing. So microplastics break off in the machine when laundering and go back to the sea. This is good reason for not using recycled plastic towels on beaches (plastics will deposit on the sand and go back to sea when the tide comes in).
You’ve likely heard to ‘wash at 30’ to save energy. In fact, babies and people with weak immune systems need clothes to be laundered at 60 degrees for safety, so ignore that advice. NHS has good tips on how to wash safely, especially during a pandemic (including people who are working on the frontline,).
Choosing a Washing Machine
You don’t have to stick with a big cumbersome washing machine if you can’t afford one, or it needs replacing. If you do buy new, QuietMark ranks good washing machines (if you are on a budget, Furniture Reuse & Emmaus sell safety-tested donated ones).
One idea is to use an ‘updated washboard, for a machine-quality wash in around 3 minutes. Although invented for travel and camping, they are good for anyone on a budget. If you are using them outdoors, pour the water away at least 30ft (100m from any water source), and only use biodegradable detergents. Buy from Scrubba, Laundreez & Allurette (for delicates like lace and hosiery).
You Don’t Need Fabric Conditioner
You hardly ever need fabric conditioner, and most brands are made with oil or palm oil or both. They also can increase fire risks, if you use a tumble drier afterwards. You should never use fabric conditioner for washing cleaning cloths, cloth nappies or menstrual pads. Instead, use 1/2 cup of white vinegar in final rinse (use 2 cups on empty hot cycle to clean machine). Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the drum to remove smell, then wipe inside with damp cloth.
Biodegradable Laundry Detergents
Avoid scented laundry detergents (or using essential oils or Borax/alternatives for baby and pet bedding, and if you are pregnant or nursing. If you use soapnuts, never compost them, the natural insecticides will kill garden ladybirds.
These plastic-free laundry sheets are made in Netherlands. Sold in a paper envelope, just pop 1 or 2 sheets in the drum, on top of your clothes. One sheet is the same as one pod or cup. 3 sheets may be required for heavy bedding and towels. For hand washing, tear half a sheet and swirl in a bowl of water, until it dissolves.
- Bide is a box available on subscription that contains laundry powder, washing up liquid, cleaner and toilet bombs. All made from natural ingredients (the laundry powder is made with sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate – aka baking powder), sodium and lavender oil. All items are made at home by women with convictions, refugees, addiction, homelessness or other issues, with employment charities to get people back on their feet. In plastic-free packaging, a tree is planted for each order and the filler is made from starch, which can be dissolved in water. One pack does 35 loads.
- Mangle & Wringer Laundry Soap is made with coconut oil, natural minerals and water softeners. Good for delicates, also makes oxygen bleach.
- Friendly Soap’s Laundry Powder (Yorkshire) is made with washing soda and oils of lavender, tea tree, lemongrass, peppermint and rose geranium.
- Bio-D is packed in recycled plastic bottles. Sold with a refill box, also makes natural bleach.
- Greenscents is one of the best cleaning and laundry ranges sold in the UK. This family business in Somerset makes vegan and biodegradable products, using organic and ethically sourced ingredients, either unscented or with essential oils, in recycled plastic packaging, including bulk.
Use an Eco-Friendly Launderette
Many people don’t own washing machines, and millions of people still enjoy using launderettes. They’re in fact a really good idea, to do away with the hassle of owning a machine that could go wrong. You just pop along with your washing and either launder it yourself, or have the staff launder it for you. But apart from taking your own biodegradable washing powder, what else can we do to green things up? Conventional laundry powders don’t biodegrade, so create algae bloom, which chokes oxygen out of the water, and harms marine wildlife. Many hotels and restaurants use professional laundry services, and making the switch en-masse can massively help the planet.
Likewise, conventional dry cleaners are some of the most toxic shops on the high street. They use a chemical called Perc that is not safe for the planet nor for the workers. But there are increasingly newer branches that use water to steam clean clothes, eliminating the need for chemicals, and making the health of workers safer too.
- The Eco Laundry Room (Devon) offers an eco service in the south west to both private and corporate customers, using solar technology, eco products, sustainable water and biomass technologies. With the service including laundry, drying and ironing, this company already has many local hotels, holiday letting agencies, holiday homes and restaurants switching to them.
- Blanc Living (London) is one of England’s first eco friendly dry cleaners. With stores across the city or free delivery within London, it can clean anything with a ‘dry clean only’ label, using artisan care combined with eco technologies for a high quality result. It also can re-stitch buttons, shorten trousers and adjust jacket lengths, at the same time.
- Kitty’s Launderette (Liverpool) is a social enterprise where all the money made goes back into the local community. It uses Miele’s eco-friendly wet cleaning process to clean your clothes and bedding. This alternative avoids chemicals like trichloroethylene or perchloroethylene (perc) that are suspected carcinogens and air pollutants. The launderette is named in honour of an Irish immigrant who was in the home with a boiler during a cholera outbreak in 1832. She invited neighbours to wash their clothes and bedding in her house, and 10 years later, this results in the opening of England’s first combined wash-house and public baths.
Eco-Friendly Laundry Powder (lavender or orange bergamot) gives 30 loads of fresh laundry. Made from 5 simple plant-based ingredients that are tough on stains (but gentle on the planet), this works effectively at 30 degrees (wash at 60 degrees for babies and those with weak immune systems). Place 2 dessert spoons directly into the drum of your machine (or 3 spoons for hard water areas) and run on your usual cycle. The finished empty bag can be recycled or added to your compost heap.
Bide is a unique brand of zero waste cleaning products (with refill options for wholesale orders). Made from non-toxic raw ingredients, these items do not cause damage to the planet or water supplies, and you can also buy eco-cleaning boxes, containing all you need to start you off. Typical ingredients include coconut surfactants, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium chloride (salt) and essential oils (peppermint, lavender, lemon, eucalyptus). Avoid essential oils for pregnancy/nursing and near pets/babies (use unscented options).
Founded with an environmental ethos, this truly sustainable business is unique in that the products are made at home factories, often giving jobs to people who otherwise could not go out to work (homeless people, refugees, women with convictions, and those recovering from addiction). The plastic-free range includes:
Miniml Eco Washing Powder is made in Yorkshire and sold in a glass jar with paper bag refills. Only one to two tablespoons needed per ash, so 1kg (£7) is enough for 50 washes. The bag has a home compostable lining bag, and gives good results at low temperatures, with no optimal brighteners and low foam for domestic or commercial use, and it’s biodegradable and good for sensitive skin. For whites or colours, it’s safe for septic tanks and hard or clean water. Just pour a tablespoon to two into the dispenser, or soak for 5 minutes and wash in the basin. Contains oxygen bleaching agents, 5% non-ionic surfactants (the lowest to do the job) and water from the Yorkshire moors.
Detergent Laundry Sheets are vegan and free from palm oil, to dissolve in hot or cold water, just pop in the drum of the washing machine on top of dirty clothes. Also for washing by hand, they are easy to store and scented with rose and lily essential oils. They are vegan and free from palm oil and totally biodegradable with a fresh linen scent. One load is 5g of lightly soiled laundry and use 3 for heavy bedding and towels, or tear half a sheet and swirl in a bowl of hot water. Made in the Netherlands from biodegradable ingredient, the simple Kraft box is easy to recycle. Always handle with dry hands and store in a cool dry place. In 36 or 64 sheets. Made with coconut oil and a biodegradable non-ionic surfantant to remove stains.
Bio-D Concentrated Washing Powder is a fragrance-free and non-biological powder in a brown paper bag, accredited by Allergy UK as suitable for sensitive skin. Biodegradable with minimal environmental impact, it’s suitable for water temperatures 30 to 90 degrees C (wash colours separately and test for colour-fastedness. Ensure powder is fully dissolved before adding clothes, and rinse thoroughly afterwards (people with damaged skin should avoid prolonged contact and wear rubber gloves).
